SeniorHomes.com Weekly Roundup

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 by Angela Stringfellow

This Week in Senior Living News

Aging News:

Socialization turns out to be important for more than just emotional health. A recent Cornell study shows that loneliness can mimic the effects of aging and contribute to the risk of developing heart disease. Check out ScienceBlog.com for more info.

Senior Living News:

The 2012 ALFA Conference and Expo wrapped up last week in Dallas, Texas. This year’s conference was again a fun-filled and informative event, including the announcement of the ALFA 2012 Hero Awards. Congrats to ALFA for yet another well-executed event!

Should you live alone in your senior years? New research suggests that about one-third of seniors are opting to do so, compared to just 10 percent of the same group in the 1950s. The Huffington Post reports on this growing trend, yet points out that as the end of Social Security and Medicare looms on the horizon, it may become less financially feasible for many seniors to do so. Further, the privacy and proximity to services and support is provided through assisted living, yet for many families, the price tag is out of reach.

Caregiver Stories and Advice:

The National Alliance for Caregiving for ReACT has produced an impressive review of best practices for employers when dealing with employees who are caring for an aging loved one. As more and more members of the workforce are serving double-duty, it’s essential for businesses to support their staff.

Image by Ayla87 on Stock.xchng

One of the hardest parts of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease is the risk of wandering, which can be dangerous. Caregiving.com offers up a template letter you can use to notify your neighbors and ask for their help in looking out for your loved one.

Tech Roundup:

For obvious reasons, there’s a gap between small and large hospital systems related to the adoption of electronic health record systems (EHRs). InformationWeek says a government incentive for adopting EHR and other promising health IT is widening the gap, pointing to an increase from 15 percent to 22 percent year-over-year between 2010 and 2011.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has implemented a new online tool allowing consumers to monitor the effectiveness of the nation’s healthcare system. Check out GovHealthIT.com for the details.

Operations and On the Political Beat:

Brookdale Senior Living is raising the bar in terms of increasing revenue by focusing on higher acuity units and the continuum of care. Senior Housing News has the story.

While Americans ponder the viability of President Obama’s healthcare plan, other nations are embracing the idea of a universal system of healthcare. Read the rest of the story from The Seattle Times.

Things that make you say, “Huh?” and our favorite unexpected news of the week:

A Pennsylvania nursing home decided to sue the son of a former resident for a $93,000 unpaid bill. John Pittas’mother entered the facility for rehab following a car crash, was discharged and moved out of the country prior to a Medicaid approval glitch being resolved. There are 29 states that permit this type of legal action against a family member in cases like this, but most of the time, it’s not enforced. Mr. Pittas’ appealed the decision but the courts sided with the nursing home. What do you think? Should family members be liable for outstanding bills if a loved one dies or care is discontinued? Check out Forbes for the full story.